Pharmaceutical compounding involves the transfer of two or more of individual prescribed liquids and/or drugs from multiple source containers into a single collecting container, for the purpose of administering the mix of liquids and/or drugs intravenously to an individual in need. Presently, the pharmaceutical compounding of liquids and/or drugs takes place primarily at one of three sites. These are: (1) hospital based compounding performed by pharmacists or pharmacy technicians in the hospital pharmacy; (2) alternate site based compounding performed primarily by pharmacists or pharmacy technicians in the home care company pharmacy; and (3) compounding centers operated by any one of several major pharmaceutical or hospital supply companies.
The operational and performance demands upon these compounding systems and methodologies are becoming increasingly more complex and sophisticated, in terms of, e.g., safety, speed, reliability, accuracy, and overall user friendliness and ergonomics. The operational and performance demands upon these compounding systems and methodologies are also becoming increasingly more complex and sophisticated with regard to the management of patient and prescription information, in terms of providing an information path that starts with the clinician and finishes with the final product delivery to the end patient.